Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 The Saga of Nowy Poland Book 4: The Wizards of Nowy Warsaw

   By Invid Fan (c)2014

   Chapter 4

   Liuz whittled as men chopped.

   The sound of metal biting into wood filled the air.  So, too, grunts,
curses, mixed with yelled commands and subdued conversation.  Liuz watched,
conscious once more of his immaturity.  Burly soldiers with bare chests and
arms swung large axes into large trees.  More distant, the earthen ditch
and berm which was to hold all that was left of the Polish people began to
take shape.  All around him, men worked hard to prepare for the arrival of
their countrymen.

   Liuz and his sister whittled.

   He looked at the pile of stakes beside them.  It was stupid.  There was
no way enough could be made, at least not just by them, to surround the
entire encampment.  Nor did he think they'd add all that much protection.
It was busy work.

   "NOW can we build that stake making machine?" Kasia asked.  Liuz
chuckled as he glanced at her.  She sat cross-legged on the grass, dress
bunched up a bit but not exposing her indecently.  Not that she was old
enough to have anything worth covering.

   "Too much work," he said.  "I am regretting not saving the ones from
before."

   "There was no place to put them," she grumbled, knife moving swiftly. 
"I asked."

   "Nothing to do but keep at it."

   Having said that, Liuz glanced towards the river.  It was wide.  Far
wider than the Warta.  Slow moving, though.  They'd have that advantage at
least when trying to bridge it.  His eyes moved to a group of men sitting
on logs in a circle.  Tymon was among them, his almost bald head shining in
the sunlight.  Using a long, pointed stick, he drew something in the dirt.
Another man picked up some sticks which seemed to have been lashed
together, rotating it in his hands.

   He returned his attention to the job at hand.  It did no good wishing he
was over there.  They knew what they were doing, he didn't.

   Still...

   ****

   Kasia watched another pair of wagons come through the newly installed
gate.

   Exactly how all this was organized eluded her.  They had arrived only
two hours after breaking camp, leaving open the question of why they hadn't
just pushed on and come here last night.  Then, more soldiers and wagons
had been arriving with no real pattern.  You'd hear some shouts, and boom,
more armed men to dig and cut trees.  She suspected this would be the last
one for the day.  The sun was getting low, the cooking fires coming up. 
Others on the road would be making camp.

   Raising her arms, she stretched her fingers.  They hurt.  Her hands
weren't blistering, Thank Mary, but only because the last couple days had
toughened them.  The feel of Dad's hands came to her, his large fingers
both rough yet worn smooth.  She felt her left hand.  Not the same.

   "I think I'm done for the day." Her brother dropped his knife to the
ground, tossing one last stake into the pile.  Kasia had considered herself
finished for the last ten minutes.  She was a hard worker, but there were
limits.  Especially with something as stupid as this.  Were pointed wooden
sticks really enough to stop a hulking soldier?  Well, maybe if you're an
evil Elf.  Wooden slivers might be their greatest enemy.  Perhaps one
reason the stone walls of Nowy Kiev hadn't stopped them.

   "If we have to do this again tomorrow," she said, groaning, "I'm going
to just swim across that river.  It's stupid."

   "I know." Liuz let himself fall back onto the grass.  She did the same,
straightening her legs.  A moment later, she raised herself a bit to
arrange her dress.  Too many men around to be showing things that should be
hidden.

   "Jesus above," a voice said behind them, "how many stakes did you make?"

   "All of them," Kasia groaned.  She rolled away from Liuz onto her
stomach, looking up.  Tymon was looking down on them, expression seemingly
impressed.  He shook his head.

   "I didn't think we gave you that much wood!"

   "We got more," Liuz said, sitting up.  He rotated his shoulders.  "Is it
enough?"

   "For you two, more than enough."

   "Good," Kasia said.  She, too, maneuvered herself into a sitting
position, hands keeping her dress appropriately placed.  "I'm ready to eat,
then sleep."

   "Aren't we all," Tymon chuckled.  "Come on."

   They stood and followed.  Kasia noticed the looks they got were half
friendly, half confused.  The latter were probably newcomers, not yet
familiar with the two kids.  Well, that wasn't her problem.  She did note
where they were in the camp, vowing to stay away from them if possible. 
Roda's words about the dangers of all these men still resonated with her.
She may not be a woman, but she WAS the only female.

   The group Tymon led them to was mostly soldiers.  Armor discarded, most
wore just stained shirts and pants.  On seeing her approach, the few who
had been topless quickly covered themselves.  Kasia immediately felt more
comfortable.

   "Men," Tymon said, "This is Liuz and his sister Kasia.  They'll be
helping with the bridge tomorrow."

   There were murmured greetings.  Liuz plopped himself on an empty log,
Kasia taking the space beside him.  Her brother accepted two mugs from one
of the soldiers, looking up at Tymon.

   "The bridge starts tomorrow?"

   Tymon nodded as Kasia took her drink from Liuz.

   "We have enough workers to work on the wall, trees, and bridge at once,
and enough logs to start.  We have two days to get this finished before the
column and the King get here."

   The King.  The King would be using something she had helped build.  Not
even knowing anything about their new sovereign, she felt a shiver go
through her.  Liuz leaned forward, mug cupped between his knees.

   "What will we be doing?"

   Tymon pulled a piece of wood from a pouch on his belt.  He handed it to
her brother.

   "This.  Bigger, naturally." Kasia leaned over.  It was half a log, two
notches cut out of the rounded side at either end.  "It's the deck of the
bridge.  We're just cutting the logs in half and putting them on top, with
notches to hold them in place.  We'll need enough for the entire length. 
You'll be measuring where to put the notches.  They have to be uniform."

   "Are you notching the bottom piece to match?" Liuz asked, rotating the
wood in his hand.  Tymon shook his head.

   "No time.  We're burning the bridge as soon as we're across, so we can't
waste effort making things perfect.  We're just cutting one long notch in
the support beams, letting the pressure of the planks on either side hold
them in place."

   Kasia nodded.  That made sense.  Taking the model plank from her
brother, she ran her hands over it.

   "We can do this."

   ****

   "How the hell do we do this?"

   Liuz chuckled at his sister's question.  It was a good one.  There
obviously was a slow way to mark the half logs now being piled beside the
siblings.  What had to be discovered was if there was an easier method.

   "We can't measure from each side," he said, starting by stating the
obvious.  Father had taught him that: Start with the obvious, and see if
anyone disagrees.  If they do, you can save a lot of time and effort by
discovering that before you've done anything.  "The logs aren't all even.
It's the distance between the two notches that has to be constant."

   "Hmm." Kasia dropped down onto one knee.  The log before them had been
flipped over, flat side against the ground.  She placed her hand about six
inches from the end.  "So, if we mark it here..." Using his marking tool,
Liuz scored the log.  Kasia measured the width needed, Liuz again marking
where needed.  The two paused.

   "Make a template?" he suggested.  Kasia nodded.

   "One the size of the notch." Grabbing the measuring string, she had him
hold the end flush with the mark while she stretched it out along the log.
The planks were to be at least twelve feet long.  He saw her frown once the
string was taut.

   "Problem?"

   "Yeah.  Lots of extra room on this end.  We need to center things more."

   "How?"

   "A twelve foot long template?"

   Their eyes met, Liuz seeing Kasia realizing the brilliance of her idea
even as he did.  He stood, smiling.

   "Let's do it!"

   ****

   The half hour spent building and perfecting their marking guide was more
than made up for by the speed they were able to plow through the planks. 
Liuz held the long branch in place, while Kasia adjusted its position and
made the marks.  By mid-day, they moved on to helping chisel out the
notches, although given their lack of strength it was mostly make-work as
they waited for more logs to be split.

   Taking a break, Kasia took in the entire building process.  Felled trees
were turned into logs of various standard sizes.  The logs were pulled to
where they were needed, notched, positioned, and lashed.  Where all the
rope had come from, she had no idea.  Someone had been thinking ahead.  One
raft was already in the water, its crew poling it across the river. 
Several small boats, canoes really, helped keep it from drifting
downstream.

   "What are they doing?" she asked.  A man near her spoke.

   "They're extending the bridge out from both banks to meet in the middle.
Plus, the soldiers will stay over there to fortify that side."

   Huh.  She wouldn't have thought of that.  Her attention was caught by
another raft entering the water, this one with three horses on it, men
holding tight to their reins.  She'd hate to have that job.

   "Kasia."

   Liuz's voice brought her back to the job at hand.  More planks were now
piled near them.  Time to measure.

   ****

   "I need a bath."

   Liuz looked at his sister, eyebrow raised.  There was no disagreeing
with her statement.  Her skin was as smudged with dirt as her dress was
stained.  He saw wood chips in her hair, his own probably similarly
tangled. Still, one did not state the obvious to a girl.

   "You're still pretty."

   She stuck her tongue out at him, the men around them laughing.  They
seemed to be sitting closer to the kids than the night before, whether to
include them in their group or for some other reason he wasn't sure.  The
man on Kasia's right seemed to be a little too close, his sister pressing
against Liuz as if to create more space.  He subtly shifted over to give
her more room.

   The stew that night was thick, with hunks of beef.  He had seen at least
one cow slaughtered, possibly too injured to continue the trip.  Whatever
the cause, he wished the same fate on a few more animals before the next
day's meal.  He liked meat.

   "You two are good workers," a soldier across from him said, speaking
across the small fire of wood scraps.  "I wish my kids put in that much
effort."

   Liuz resisted the temptation to ask about them.  Such topics were not
good, with families everywhere divided.  The black curly-haired Estek
laughed, stroking his beard.

   "Hell, I wish my wife worked that hard!"

   This got a laugh out of all the adults, women obviously a rich source of
humor.  He just smiled.

   "Are we going to be able to finish tomorrow?" Kasia asked.  Her dirty
face now had a ring of stew around her mouth.

   "Definitely," Tymon answered.  "Hell, we may even have it done by noon."

   ****

   Kasia watched, horrified, as the bridge segment floated down the river.

   "Damn it all!  Secure those lines!" She did not hear panic in the
shouted commands, for all she was panicking on the shore.  There was a
calmness, as if such disasters were a daily occurrence.  Which, for a
military officer, was probably the case.  The head Engineer was strolling
down the western half of the bridge, calmly giving orders.  The men who had
abandoned the now lost segment were being fished out of the water.  One was
swimming to shore.  She recognized the balding head of Tymon.  Without
thinking, Kasia ran to the river's edge.

   "Tymon!"

   Soldiers passed by her, entering the water.  Meeting Tymon in the waist
deep current, they half dragged, half carried him to shore.  She knelt down
as they gently let him down onto the ground.

   "I'm fine," he coughed, waving away assistance.  Her hand, he took,
smiling as he squeezed it.  "Really, I'm OK." He began to sit up, Kasia
helping.  "Stupid ropes."

   "What happened?" Borys asked.  He grimaced.

   "Rope snapped, and I couldn't hold onto my line." He looked at his
hands. Kasia saw red marks running across his palm.  "Not too bad of a
burn. Everyone get back to shore?"

   "Think so." Borys turned towards the bridge.  "LOSE ANYONE?"

   "IF YOU HAVE TYMON, THEN NO."

   "Good." Tymon stood, Kasia's arm going around his waist.  He smiled at
her, untangling himself from her arm.  "I'm fine, Kasia.  Don't worry."

   "I'm not worried." Whirling, she ran back towards her brother.

   ****

   It was done.

   Liuz stood on shore, watching as a dozen soldiers in full armor marched
across.  He had never felt so...  satisfied.  Helping his father finish
some project around the home had been one thing, but this, this...  Liuz
had built something important.  Something that would help others.  Help the
King!  It was the pride of doing the job of a man.

   And woman.  Kasia slipped her arm around his waist.

   "Think it will fall apart?"

   "Not the decking." He looked down at her grinning face as Hussars rode
by, slowing as they made their way up the ramp onto the bridge.  "We did
good.  Dad would be proud."

   "I know." She gave him a hug.

   Shouts came from behind them.  Turning in place, taking his sister with
him, Liuz looked back towards the distant gate.  Wagons were entering.  Not
just wagons, but people.  People walking slowly, heads bowed.  Liuz touched
Kasia's head.

   "Column's here."

   She turned in his arms, following his gaze.  It felt nice holding her.
Kasia had not been one for hugs, and might not be in the future.  For now,
he enjoyed the change.

   "That's good timing."

   Finding a convenient spot, they sat and watched the influx of civilians.
Someone important seemed to be directing them, sending wagons to various
parts of the camp.  Colored flags had been set up, designating gathering
areas.  People stood around, wondering what to do.

   "The military is different, isn't it," Kasia said.  She immediately
shrugged.  "I mean, obviously, but...  I like the order."

   "That's just knowing what you're doing.  Tymon and his friends are like
that, and they aren't military."

   "I like him." Liuz grinned down at his sister.  Her voice was so
serious.

   "Me too."

   "Maybe you can work for him."

   He shrugged.

   "He may not need us.  I'm not even sure what he'll be doing after this."

   "After this..."

   He nodded at her unspoken words.  What the world would be like after
this was unknowable.

   "LIUZ!"

   His head jerked up.  Three people were coming towards them, one walking
strangely.  He stood, Kasia rising beside him.  Her arm stayed around him.

   "It's Roda!" She said, surprised.  He blinked.  Sure enough, it was the
brown haired girl, still using the crutch.  So, too, her mother and younger
brother were beside him.  He thought for a moment, hating his trouble with
names.  Urszuli.  That was the short stocky woman's name.  Urszuli.  He
mentally said it a few times as they approached.  He still had no
recollection of the boy's name.

   "Liuz!" Urszuli grabbed him, hugging tightly, largish breasts pressed
into his chest.  He saw Roda roll her eyes, her brother just ignoring them
both.  Rafal.  That was his name.  Rafal's attention was on the bridge, and
the cleanup work still being done.

   "You made it," Liuz said, unsure if he should try and free himself or
keep enduring the attack.  As if sensing his discomfort, Urszuli stepped
back, releasing him.  Her face seemed to be red.

   "We didn't know if we'd ever see you again," she said.  Liuz wasn't sure
why they would care.  They had only walked together for a couple days.

   "How's your ankle, Roda?" Kasia asked.  Liuz looked down.  It seemed to
be wrapped up tightly, the girl holding her foot up off the ground.  Roda
shook her head.

   "I tried walking on it the other day and think I made it worse.  A woman
bandaged it up for me." She looked at Liuz.  "The crutch still works. 
Thank you."

   "Anytime," he shrugged.

   "So!" Tymon's voice came from behind him, "Who is this?"

   The expression on Urszuli's face shifted so swiftly Liuz wasn't sure
what he was seeing.  He turned to follow her gaze.  Tymon was walking up to
them, damp shirt clinging to his muscled body.  He held a wooden mallet in
his right hand.  Seemingly instantly, Urszuli was beside Liuz.  He
shrugged.

   "They're people we met on the road.  This is Urszuli, and her two
children Roda and Rafal."

   "And this is Tymon," Kasia added.  Her voice seemed amused.

   "A pleasure to meet you," Urszuli said, curtsying as best she could in
her disheveled outfit.  Tymon seemed to spend a moment just looking at her.
He bowed his head.

   "The pleasure is mine." He held out his hand.  She raised her own, her
slim fingers seeming to vanish in his light grip.  "Will you be meeting
with other family here?"

   "I an a widow," Urszuli said.  Her tone was similar to that she had used
when first telling Liuz that information.  Unlike then, it seemed to mean
something to Tymon.

   "I am sorry." He bowed his head slightly.  "I, too, have been a year
without my wife."

   "My condolences," she said, voice soft.  "It is hard to be alone."

   "Agreed." He released her hand, almost reluctantly.  "How do you know
these two?"

   Liuz had already told him, and knew the man's memory was better than
this.  What did it matter?

   "We were unprepared for the journey," Urszuli said, placing her hand on
Liuz's arm, "our home being near the western wall.  These two children gave
us water, made a crutch for Roda." So, now Liuz was a child to her.  As
willfully ignorant of these things as Liuz usually was, the looks the two
were giving each other could not be ignored.  He felt himself wanting to
give one of Roda's eye rolls.

   "They are good people," Tymon agreed.  After a moment's pause, he held
out his arm.  "There is still some warm drink over the fire." She placed
her hand on his arm

   "That sounds wonderful."

   As the four preteens watched, the two adults wandered away.

   ****

   "At least Mother's going after men, now."

   Kasia glanced at Roda as the four sat on the bank of the Orlan.  She
wasn't sure how she felt about all this.  First, she DID consider her
brother a man, but knew what Roda meant so tried not to take offense.  She
was also relieved the woman wasn't looking at Liuz as husband material.  On
the OTHER hand, Kasia found herself feeling jealous.  Tymon was...  well,
he belonged to her.  She didn't want to marry him, no, but...

   "She actually slapped a wagon driver," Rafal said, sitting beside his
sister.  "That was a bad day.  If Hussars hadn't been passing by..."

   "They moved us up to another wagon group," Roda said.  "That helped."
She lifted her bare foot out of the water, ankle wrap still dry.

   "We've been building," Liuz said, shrugging.  "Sort of payment for
getting to ride in a wagon."

   "Better than the payment that was asked of me," Roda muttered.

   Kasia was about to ask for details when she heard a commotion.  All four
heads turned towards the end of the bridge as two riders approached.

   They were as different as night and day.  Literally.  On a black horse
rode a woman with brown skin.  Brown.  Skin of brown.  Not tan, no.  Skin
as brown as the skin of Elves was green.  She couldn't be Polish.  Also,
she wore armor, a sword belted to her side.  Such a creature Kasia had
never seen.

   The rider beside her...  Kasia felt her breath catch in her throat.  He
was a young man, clothing plain but clean.  Short black curly hair.  He sat
straight in the saddle, bearing one of...

   She saw two officers bow as the man dismounted.

   Oh, God.  He was the King.

   She strained to hear as the two soldiers discussed the bridge with the
King and the alien woman.  The woman's arms were crossed over her chest,
even as the King seemed calm, composed.  After what seemed like an
eternity, the two walked back into the camp, Royal Guards at their side.

   She had seen the King.

   ****

   To be continued

   ****

   Edited by Packrat

   Tech advice by Ivan

   ****

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